🚀 go-pugleaf

Greetings to all, especially Cearr MacBrendan, from Vajk!

MacBrendan writes:

  >  I have been asked by a friend to research a type of
  >  boat used by the Irish and Anglo-Saxons.  I am just
  >  beginning the work and was wondering if anyone could
  >  recommend some reference material.

Samuel Eliot Morison has written two volumes about the early
voyages to North America.  Morison was both historian and
sailor, and had a penchant for detail.  I have forgotten
the main title, but the two volumes are subtitled
"The Northern Voyages" (the first) and "The Southern Voyages"
(the second).  There is a chapter about the voyages of St.
Brendan, and in that chapter he covered the construction of
a curragh (as I have seen it spelled).

Morison does not go into enough detail to build a scale model
but he gives references for everything he writes, and it is
these references which will likely be of help to you and your
friend.

A note:  a scale model is probably unnecessary.  While some
curraghs were large, say 40 feet in length, some were
no bigger than a modern row-boat.  They are said to ride
the waves like a cork, with almost no draft.  As a sailor,
white-water rafter, and canoer (I have taught canoeing, and
have done white-water in an open canoe), I can tell you that
such a quality is a great advantage in rough seas.  The 
curragh was nearly unsinkable, if well-made, and if I
correctly interpret what information Morison has given, it
was probably extremely stable, i.e., unlikely to capsize.

Good luck on your research of the details.

Vajk